Burnsville, NC – Thorn Archery revolutionized the hunting and archery market in 2017 with the introduction of the Thorn broadhead. Now, Thorn Archery is proud to announce the release of the next evolution in “Hidden Blade” Technology, the Thorn HPX.
Designed for high-performance crossbows that are capable of shooting up to 500 feet per second, the Thorn HPX features a new, solid titanium Rip-Tip™. It also employs Thorn’s patented “Hidden Blade” technology making it deadly accurate out to 100 yards. Read more
“Where the rubber meets the road” are lyrics coined by an old Firestone tire commercial with a simple meaning: For anything with wheels and rubber, handling and control come down to the tires. Similarly, all the shiny steel and fine optics of a firearm come down to one moment of truth: when the bullet strikes its target. This all-important aspect of hunting – specifically deer for the purposes of this discussion – is often overlooked by some relatively savvy hunters.
Recently, I took the opportunity to compare results of two completely different styles of ammunition for the enormously popular .450 Bushmaster caliber. As you may know, several Mid-Western states, including Michigan, have adopted hunting regulations allowing the use of size-limited, straight-wall-case cartridges in areas heretofore primarily relegated to shotguns. The .450 Bushmaster is near the maximum allowable length and provides ethical hunters a viable option. Although the caliber got its beginning in AR platform rifles, economical bolt –action rifles are now flying off the shelves in an effort to accommodate the growing demand.
Specifically, the Ruger American was the first one to hit the market, because of the prompting of Randy Brown of Randy’s Hunting Center in Bad Axe, Michigan to produce it for the clamoring whitetail deer hunters. Ruger subsequently cornered the market and Randy became famous for his efforts.
Factory ammunition, however, has been limited in selection with Hornady taking over the lion’s share of sales with its Flex Tip, 250-grain offering. This sledge hammer of a round leaves the muzzle at 2200 feet-per-second (fps) developing a whopping 2686 foot-pounds of energy and has become the go-to ammo for sportsmen and women. Personal anecdotal evidence, plus that conveyed to me, bears out the inherent accuracy and effectiveness of the powerful combination of the handy rifle and load.
Always striving for something better, I was interested to learn of a new ammunition offering in .450 Bushmaster produced by ARX with its 158-grain Inceptor bullet at a substantially faster 2620 fps and 2409 ft. lbs. of energy.
L-R: ARX Inceptor, Hornady Flex Tip, and Recovered Flex Tip bullet
This non-expanding bullet, comprised of copper particles blended with a polymer, is engineered for maximum hydraulic displacement and terminal energy transfer to targets through fluted bullets with lateral dispersion creating a venturi effect. Initially, this frangible bullet had been developed to disintegrate upon impact with hard targets such as steel to eliminate ricochets in competition shooting, or to avoid over-penetration in self-defense situations with handgun calibers.
My unscientific test to compare the two different styles of ammunition involved the Ruger American rifle and a stack of soaked newsprint catalogs. Fortunately, I was able to locate two shoulder blades found as remnants from a deer that had obviously expired many years ago and placed them in front of the catalog expansion medium. Here’s where the “rubber met the road.”
At close range the ARX Inceptor bullet struck the bone and proceeded through some 2200 pages of wet pages – one complete catalog plus 10 percent of the next one. The Hornady Flex Tip bullet hit a corresponding bone and traveled through two complete catalogs and well into a third one.
The experiment concluded with a search for what remained of the two bullets. The recovered Inceptor made a violent entrance and completely disintegrated to its final resting place where only a tiny fragment of the original projectile was found – not even enough to bother weighing! On the other hand, the Hornady Flex Tip was peeled from well over 4,000 layers of paper, weighed 170 grains and had mushroomed to about 50-percent more than its original diameter of .452 inches, although the copper jacket had separated from the lead core.
The conclusion is that velocity and energy are only important if they can deliver a better wound channel and the less-expensive Hornady ammo and its Flex Tip design provide a much more appropriate transfer of said energy for a big-game hunting round.
Fourteen habitat restoration projects totaling more than $2 million will be funded by several Michigan Department of Natural Resources grant programs in 2018. Nonprofit organizations, government agencies and private citizens submitted a total of 41 applications requesting more than $7.72 million in funding to complete priority habitat projects in their areas. These projects were submitted, evaluated and awarded through three grant processes.
The Aquatic Habitat Grant Program seeks to protect and restore fish and aquatic habitats; the Dam Management Grant Program focuses on dam removal, maintenance and repair; and the Habitat Improvement Account provides funding for habitat projects in the Manistee, Muskegon and Au Sable rivers’ watersheds.
“These projects continue our investment in habitats to sustain healthy fisheries for generations to come,” said Joe Nohner, a DNR fisheries biologist. “We’re excited to award these grants and work with the recipients to improve upon Michigan’s already world-class fisheries.” Read more
Chambered for the straight-walled 450 Bushmaster cartridge, the new Savage 110 Wolverine offers both precision and power for deer, bears and hogs. Shipments of these firearms are currently being delivered to dealers.
The 110 Wolverine’s AccuFit system lets you easily tailor the length-of-pull and comb height for a perfect fit, while its user-adjustable AccuTrigger offers a crisp, clean pull. Together with the AccuStock, which secures the action three-dimensionally along its entire length, the rifle provides custom fit and function—right out of the box.
Other key features of the 110 Wolverine include a Magpul AICS magazine and 18-inch carbon steel heavy barrel complete with a ported muzzle brake and 11/16-24 threading. Plus, a one-piece rail mounted on the receiver makes it easy to set up the rifle to your personal hunting needs. Read more
Boonville, MO–CMMG has announced the addition of a new series of short barreled rifles (SBR’s) and AR Pistols that will be known as the BANSHEE line. The BANSHEE’s sleek new design sports the shortest barrels CMMG offers in 9mm, .45 ACP, 300 BLK and .22 Long Rifle. This ultra-compact and lightweight platform is extremely portable, making the BANSHEE a great option for close protection, home defense, plinking, competition shooting or any other application that benefits from the reduced size.
Each version of the BANSHEE sports CMMG’s new ambidextrous charging handle, as well as an ambidextrous sling plate and ambidextrous safety selector. The BANSHEE comes standard with CMMG’s Premier Cerakote finish, an RML M-LOK Hand Guard and a Magpul MOE Pistol Grip. The AR Pistol versions each come with a Tailhook Mod 2 Brace. Read more
Boonville, MO–CMMG has introduced its all-new DefCan suppressor line. With the addition of the DefCan suppressor line, CMMG now offers its customers the ability to quiet their firearms down to a safer, more comfortable sound level. Pairing a firearm with a DefCan suppressor not only makes that next trip to the range more enjoyable, it also makes it possible for hunters to be out in the field without traditional hearing protection and not risk long-term hearing damage at the expense of trying to listen for the sounds of animals.
CMMG’s DefCan suppressor line has a wide-range of offerings that will meet the needs of shooters from a variety of disciplines, ranging from personal defense, to the long-range shooters, to hunters. DefCan suppressors are not only optimized for decibel reduction, but are also lightweight, durable and being offered at an affordable price point. Read more
(Miami, FL) – Taurus Holdings, Inc.(“Taurus USA”) announces plans to establish a manufacturing facility in Bainbridge, Georgia, part of Decatur County, creating over 300 new jobs with a combined investment of over $22.5MM in infrastructure and operations. Taurus USA, through its subsidiaries, manufactures or distributes the popular Taurus®, Rossi®, and Heritage™ Manufacturing product lines.
“Taurus USA’s decision to locate to Bainbridge is not only a win for the community, but for the region,” said Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) Commissioner Pat Wilson. “Georgia has a long history in the manufacturing industry sector, and we are excited to add Taurus to the long list of manufacturers that are based here. I am confident that our thriving pro-business environment and unmatched logistics network along with the abundance of resources available in Bainbridge including a skilled workforce will allow Taurus to succeed in Georgia.”
The ZEISS annual “Tax Refund Days” promotion includes the all-new Conquest V4 family of riflescopes. Introduced at SHOT Show 2018, the Conquest V4 represents the company’s newest line-up of 30mm hunting and shooting riflescopes configured with second focal plane reticle designs and an external elevation turret with Ballistic Stop. Models include the 1-4×24, 3-12×56, 4-16×44, and 6-24×50 models. Purchase any of these models and receive a $100.00 immediate in-store accessory credit at time of purchase.
Consumers can take advantage of this promotion at time of purchase through participating ZEISS Authorized Sports Optics Retailers throughout the United States. The promotion runs from April 15th – May 15th, 2018. Read more
MISSOULA, Mont. (April 11, 2018) – The Boone and Crockett Club, the oldest hunter-conservationist organization in North America, has released a position statement on Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD).
“CWD is not new news, but its threat to deer and elk is increasing, which should be a concern to every sportsman,” said Ben B. Hollingsworth Jr., president of the Boone and Crockett Club. “As hunter-conservationists, we’ve had to address threats to wildlife before, but none like this.” Read more
BEAVERTON, Ore. — Leupold & Stevens, Inc. has expanded its diverse catalog of ring mounts with the introduction of the new QRW2 and PRW2 lines. The new rings are an evolution of the popular QRW™ and PRW™ products, respectively. Based on the familiar cross-slot design, both the QRW2 and PRW2 mounts feature a solid steel construction that has been extreme recoil tested, ensuring they live up to Leupold’s legendary level of rugged performance.
The QRW2 and PRW2 lines are precision machined for perfect alignment and offer universal cross-slot compatibility – they’ll fit Weaver and Picatinny rails. A low-profile design offers a streamlined look and feel. The QRW2 line offers a simple, proven, detachable option, while the PRW2 line is meant for a more permanent mounting solution. Read more
